Played on my 1909 Fairbanks tuned eAEAE, with the first and fifth strings being the same note. The tuning is possible without risk of breaking the first string because I keep the Fairbanks tuned a tone and a half low. The banjo, however, is capoed at the 3rd fret, but the fifth string is not raised correspondingly - which is what I generally do, i.e. leave my fifth string as an E no matter what tuning or capo position I am using on the other strings thus: eCGCG. I recorded this about a year ago, just after having developed this version.

While many of the lines are traditional, a little more than half of the lyrics in this version are my own, based on the book: STEEL DRIVIN' MAN - JOHN HENRY - THE UNTOLD STORY OF AN AMERICAN LEGEND (Oxford University Press, 2006), by historian Scott Reynolds Nelson, who believes he has found the real historical John Henry. While there is much dispute between different historians who each think they’ve found the actual guy, I think this one is a compelling story about real people that takes place shortly after the Civil War.

BHO member Don Couchie came to Boston for a visit, and we sat right down and started picking. This is the first thing we recorded, with my little Tascam DR-1. I am playing my Tubaphone, and the other Don is on the fiddle. This is a pretty Kentucky fiddle tune attributed to John Sayler. My arrangement is inspired by Adam Hurt's wonderful version.

This is a Tony Furtado tune that we do a lot different than he does. Still, he graciously agreed to let us upload it here. We'll be including it on our next cd., in the works.

Johan Worst bass, darryl banjo and guitar.

Mix, Jeff Gibbons.

From a Christmas CD I played on. Huberized Granada Copy.

This is a standard old-time tune that I play in the key of A. I'm playing on my Enoch Dobson Model banjo with the tuning of aEAC#E. Enjoy!

This is my version of an old traditional song. It's from my long out-of-print children's album "That Lion!" This version was probably subliminally influenced by Pete Seeger's version of the Cumberland Mountain Bear Chase that appears on his record Birds, Beasts, Bugs & Bigger Fishes, of which I still have my autographed 10" LP version I got as a kid. That record is probably the reason I took up the banjo in the first place. The guitar playing on the song is by Michael Jerome Browne. The harmonica playing is by me.

Could anyone help me on information on this tune? Is it modern?

This is the result of a complete Rain and Fog weekend and..... an idle mind

This is the result of a complete Rain and Fog weekend and..... an idle mind

This is the result of a complete Rain and Fog weekend and..... an idle mind